While many of my readers are interested in some of our own writing, here’s one i found rummaging around wordpress it is much better written than I could ever dream to reach. Maybe one day I will get to their level, you never know.

The hacktivist group Anonymous is working on a new communication tool to circumvent censorship and set information free, and it’s going low-tech this time. The project is called Airchat, and it will use radio waves instead of wifi, broadband, or phone lines to communicate data and messages between computers. It’s basically pirate radio for ones and zeros.
The idea for Airchat was hatched because of the “lessons learned in the Egyptian, Libyan and Syrian revolutions, but also from the experience of Occupy Wall Street and Plaza del Sol,” explains the project description on Github, posted under “Lulz Labs,” which was spotted by International Business Times. With social upheaval in Ukraine and Venezuela and other places around the world, a safe anonymous way for dissidents to organize movements and share information is as relevant as ever.
The radio communication works much like a two Way Radio or CB radio, with the transmitter acting as a sender and receiver—only you’re sending computer commands instead of audio.
This kind of readio data transfer has been done before. The concept has existed since ALOHAnet was introduced in 1971, a University of Hawaii project that sent data over radio. In 2010, a startup called OneBeep created software that transfered data over radio waves by converting it into an audio signal and then back to the original information packets for the computer to translate.
The team also experimented with laser light-based transmissions, a more complicated method of transmitting data through the pulse of a laser beam, but decided to put a pin in that for now.
Beyond political dissidence, the group writes that Airchat could be used for disaster relief, by support groups or medical teams, or by sailors to communicate weather conditions out at sea. Basically, it could be used any time you need information and traditional communication methods are down.
The end goal is to make this all available for free—“free as in ‘free beer’ and free as in ‘Jeremy Hammond must be freed,” the group writes—without the control of megacorporations or heavy-handed governments.
“Even after all these years of technology advance, we still need to meet in common public places to continue expressing ourselves in a free way,” they write.
We’ve seen apps like Zello play a major role for rebel groups in Venezuela and Ukraine, becoming the go-to walkie talkie app that gave protesters the ability to communicate in private voice messages on the go. The problem with Zello, as was witnessed in Venezuela, is that it can only run using wifi or a data plan. With Airchat, which will use both encrypted and non-encrypted radio waves, that shouldn’t be an issue.
In its current incarnation, the project uses Fldigi software to communicate data—it’s the software commonly used to broadcast amateur radio stations from a computer. The machine’s sound card controls most of the communication of information to and from the transmitter using audio-frequency signals. It typically works on Linux, OSX, and Windows.
The radio transmitter is operated by keyboard commands, and Airchat can be programmed to let you send messages, access Twitter streams, download news, or find community related articles, the group writes. For extra security, the program will is capable of using anonymous Tor servers and proxy support.
So far, they’ve had trouble transferring images via Google’s WebP format, due to lack of browser support, but they’re still working out the kinks.
As it currently exists, as you can see in the Vimeo video posted this week, the program is still quite technical for everyday folk. At this point Airchat is still a proof of concept, and the group is releasing early information about it to try to rally community support and funding.
But it’s already been used by Anonymous to play chess with people 180 miles away, share images and communicate “encrypted low bandwidth digital voice chats.” They have also accomplished 3D printing at distances over 80 miles and have been able to send medical orders at distances over 100 miles.
It works, but it doesn’t operate at high-speeds, and the clarity of the connection depends on the strength of your radio signal. As the group writes, it “sacrificed bandwidth for freedom.”

What’s your favorite feature of my communication devices for nonverbal students? In my opinion, I like the design job – Its cooler than an Inuit’s underpants!

World Renowned Motorola RAZR Debuts at T-Mobile USA
One of the Most In-Demand, Design-Forward Mobile Phones is Now Available at T-Mobile USA

Appealing to fashionistas and techno-enthusiasts for the The radio Motorola business, a global leader in wireless communications, and T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the introduction of the Motorola RAZR at T-Mobile retail stores and authorized dealers, as well as online.

“The ultra-slim silhouette of the Motorola RAZR has become a global symbol for mobile innovation,” said Wayne White, vice president of sales for Motorola, Mobile Devices. “With impressive success in the marketplace to-date, it is our pleasure to work with T-Mobile to offer premium connectivity and design to T-Mobile customers who require two way radios and phones.”

John Clelland, senior vice president of segment marketing for T-Mobile USA said, “Consumers can now purchase the head-turning Motorola RAZR, and along with it, benefit from T-Mobile’s Get MoreÂ® promise of more minutes, features and service. We’re excited to further extend our innovative device offerings with this stylish wafer-thin mobile.”

The Motorola RAZR excels in design craftsmanship with luxurious metallic finishes and a chemically etched keypad made from a single sheet of nickel- plated copper alloy.

The Motorola RAZR has garnered praise and admiration from consumers and the design industry alike. Most significantly, the handset received a coveted Gold Award in the annual Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs). Sponsored by BusinessWeek and run independently by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), a nonprofit association representing the profession of industrial design, the competition encourages corporations from around the globe to showcase their most significant design innovations. This year’s contest received 1,380 entries and gave out 148 awards, including only 38 of the honored Golds.

Availability Information

The Motorola RAZR is now available at T-Mobile retail stores, authorized dealers and online.

About Motorola

Motorola is a Fortune 100 global communications leader that provides seamless mobility products and solutions across broadband, embedded systems and wireless networks. In your home, auto, workplace and all spaces in between, seamless mobility means you can reach the people, things and information you need, on the go. Seamless mobility harnesses the power of technology convergence and enables smarter, faster, cost-effective and flexible communication. Motorola had sales of US $31.3 billion in 2014

I do not know how you came here as you read it on social media, twitter, facebook, google +, stumble upon or anywhere else. But thank you for visiting and I hope you like reading this as much as I did.

With cell phones and other advanced technology, few consider a walkie talkie set as an exciting way to communicate. When you are out of cell phone range and need to stay connected to family members or others in your party, a two way radio is a very useful tool.

In situations where there are large crowds, trying to keep track of everyone in your party can be a real challenge. Shopping in large crowds can be a nightmare, but with one press of a button, you are instantly in communication with your children, spouse or friends. Many large buildings or shopping malls have a poor cell signal which makes using a cell phone for this purpose less than adequate. If you use a walkie talkie set, you aren’t wasting valuable minutes checking on someone’s location.

If you’ve ever been at a large venue with a large number of people, you know that it’s frustrating when you are separated from a member of your party. Having to take the time to look for them is not what you had in mind. Instead of enjoying the day, you’re on a manhunt trying to figure out where that person might have gone. Although cell phones could be used in this scenario, not everyone can use one because of expense and signal issues. Walkie talkie sets are the perfect solution to this dilemma. Relatively inexpensive, they provide a way of instant communication without having to know someone’s cell number.

Two-way communication has lost favor in recent years due to the introduction of smart phones and other shiny objects appealing to consumers. Although these devices are fun to use, they are not always convenient either by limited calling plans or signal issues. For situations where you simply need to be in contact with someone, walkie talkie sets really are a preferable choice. Not only are there no ongoing charges, but communication is instant with the push of a button.

You only have to watch the news to hear how someone disappeared from the local shopping mall. Although a 2 Way Radio isn’t going to necessarily prevent this, you will know if there’s a problem much sooner than if there was no communication at all. If someone in your party were to be suddenly grabbed, one click of the button opens up the walkie talkie so that the other person could hear what was going on. With a cell phone, they wouldn’t have time to dial a number. This instant communication gives walkie talkie sets the advantage over a cell phone in these situations.

In today’s age of fancy technology, you might not have thought of such a form of communication as anything useful. But if you can picture the convenience you and your family would have at the county fair, amusement park or large shopping mall, you can see that even today, they are a very useful form of communication.

Walkie talkie sets vary in price based on the range. Some will only communicate up to several feet, while others can communicate up to a few miles. For use away from home, walkie talkie sets that have broader range are obviously preferable.